The FBI: International‘s Fly Team officially has a new Europol agent, confirming what the Season 1 finale set up: Christiane Paul’s exit as a series regular.
Eva-Jane Willis has joined the cast as Megan “Smitty” Garretson, according to Deadline. Smitty is described as “a street-wise Europol agent with an extensive undercover background who is embedded with The Fly Team and liaises with each host country they inhabit.”
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The Season 1 finale revealed that Paul’s Katrin Jaeger was working her last case with the Fly Team, following a promotion to oversee all of Western Europe. “You’ll be fine without me,” she insisted to the team. Furthermore, when asked who’d be replacing her, Jaeger revealed the choice was hers, meaning that Smitty should have her approval, which could make the transition a bit easier.
The finale ended with a “proper going away party” for Jaeger, with Cameron Vo (Vinessa Vidotto) insisting everyone tell their favorite Jaeger story. She spoke of the first time she met the Europol agent. For Jamie Kellett (Heida Reed), “my favorite memory is when you told me you’d always be there for me, as a friend and as a colleague.”
We saw from the start of the series how key Jaeger was for the team, not just as its liaison but also as someone there for Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank). “We call her the mama bear of the group,” Kleintank told TV Insider ahead of the Season 1 finale.
“Forrester always is going to get under Jaeger’s skin a little bit,” showrunner Derek Haas said early on in Season 1. “We like that dynamic and she always receives him with a twinkle in her eye, even when she’s frustrated by him. That’s been fun to play. Christiane Paul does such a great job playing that character.”
Like FBI and FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International was renewed for two more seasons in May. We’ll have to wait to see if Smitty will be around for Season 3 as well.
FBI: International, Season 2 Premiere, Tuesday, September 20, 9/8c, CBS